Anniversary
by Tomoe1
Summary: Yay!! Second chapter is finally up! Yahiko-san is back and he finally learns of the truth. ReAd to know what will happen to him! Reviews please!!!!
1. Default Chapter

Anniversary.  
  
The smell of jasmine lingered in the air, ever so familiar, ever so sweet. My eyes met hers. Hers a beautiful shade of crystal blue just like the gem, sapphire. There she was standing before me in one of her favourite kimonos. Is this real? Her shiny hair was tied back neatly into a ponytail. She gingerly walked towards me with a smile on her face as usual. Finally, I can see her smile. It's like a rainbow after the rain. How I've longed to see you. Her hand outstretched, inviting me to join her. My hand reached for hers and I replied her smile. Can I hold your hand once more? Can I be with you again? Then suddenly, she started fading as a great white light blinded me. NOOO!!! Don't go..  
  
I woke up to the blinding sunlight as it shone directly into my eyes. I covered my eyes with the back of my hand and with a stretch I got up. I folded my blankets and put it neatly at a side. I looked out of the window. It was early morning. The sky brightened to a luminous pearl. The flowers bloomed under the sun. It was a parade of colours as each flower vied to show off their pretty petals. Sparrows darted about; pigeons cooed and crows winged in the distance against rosy wisps of clouds. It would be a clear, sunny day. I smiled a sad smile. Today is our anniversary and the weather is just nice. She would be happy. If only you were here..  
  
There I stood before the grave of my fallen lover. The pearl white stone turned greenish with the passing of a year but the detailed engravings of the sakura petals still remained and it framed her name nicely. Her name was carved forcefully yet beautifully into the stone. Kneeling down before the headstone, I put the bucket of roses beside me. Delicately, I touched the carvings. It's only been a year. I took out the fresh red roses from the bucket of water and place it at her gravesite. The redness representing her vitality and of course, my love for her. Everyday I come with roses for her to show my undying love for my lost partner. Aaah..those days. How can I ever forget them? Gone was her smile and laughter. The dojo was cold and lonely without her and my heart feels so empty. I deserve this. I have failed. I closed my eyes as I take in the air. I could hear my own rhythmic breathing so similar to her heartbeat when I held her close to me. Her heartbeat. Yes. Her heartbeat is music to my ears. Every pump tells me that she is alive and that she's there brightening up my very own existence.  
  
I opened my eyes to the grave of my second love. Gone were my first love and my second love faded away from me. Are the heavens putting a test on my emotional endurance? Or is it just a punishment for the lives I have taken? If you want to punish me, make me suffer alone!! They deserve to live more than I do. They are gone. All because of me. Gone. Never to return but in my mind and dreams. If only I can tamper with fate and let them live once more. I will never repeat my mistake lo falling in love with them or vice versa. If only...  
  
"Kenshin."  
  
A whisper of my name echoed in the air as the wind brushed against my ears. I shook my head. It is but an imagination. I hear you. It was not Kaoru's voice. Where are you, Kaoru-san? Where are you? Are you an angel up in the heavens or are you a wandering spirit here among us? If you are a wandering spirit, then I'll beg the heavens to let you be an angel up in the heavens. The world is a place of grief. DO not linger here; it will destroy your innocent, fragile soul. Do not care for me. Go up to the heavens where you will be safe for I have failed to protect you. I have failed twice but not once. The Hitokiri will only endanger you, he cannot protect you. My promise to you is broken.  
  
I got up on my feet and with one last look of the grave I parted for the river. The river where I once saved Kaoru-dono from Jin-e. The sweet memories of the past began flooding my mind. I walked down the grassy slope towards the river. I sat down at the bank of the river and rested my sakabatou by my side. With one arm rested on a knee, its sleeve flapped along with the gentle breeze.  
  
"Kenshin."  
  
That familiar voice as sweet as a nightingale spoke with the wind. I ignored it. It was my imagination. A fantasy I've dreamed for the past year. I am a fool to deceive myself. I've been deceived so many times by myself. I won't be cheated again.  
  
"Kenshin."  
NOO!! It's that voice again. Stop lying to yourself! I've had enough!  
  
My eyes darted around I don't sense a presence anywhere. Then, I saw. A ripple in the calm water. When the water was completely still, a familiar reflection stared back at me.  
  
"Kaoru-dono.."  
  
"Anata.." "I've came back to put a smile back on your face. Today is our wedding anniversary."  
  
Her smile captured my heart. You're back. It's not my imagination. How wonderful, it's tearful. It's been exactly a year since she left. Today's our wedding anniversary and her death anniversary. Me eyes felt teary at the thought of it. I touched my face as the wetness of my tears trickle from my eyes. Lumps formed in my throat, I have so many things to tell her yet the words won't come out. I choked.  
  
"Anata, please don't cry. Please smile for me. Smile. It's our anniversary."  
  
I smiled naturally looking at her warm smile. My heart beat fast, she's here. I can see her, finally..  
  
"My love for you is a rejuvenating breeze. It'll never cease. Finally, I can see you. Your smile is enough to make me smile."  
  
I spoke to her, my mind filled with emotions. My heart swoon, I've longed to see her and feel her again.  
  
"Gomen me, anata. I can't stay for long. I have a task to do but before I go, I have a favour to ask from you."  
  
She's going??? So soon? NOOO!!! I can't let her go! She can't leave me.  
  
"G..go? You were here a while ago only and now you're going? No! Please stay here with me. I'm sorry if I have failed to protect you. I'm sorry!"  
  
My eyes narrowed and I shamefully looked down. I could not stop the tears as it silently slid down my cheeks. I'm full of regret and hatred for my doings but nothing can change the past. My past. Haunting me."  
  
"Anata, smile. For I know you have done your best. Every moment spent with you is blissful and I'll cherish it. Remember. Time makes all memories beautiful."  
  
Her last sentence echoed in my head. Time makes all memories beautiful. I looked at the reflection on the water. If only I could hold her in my arms.  
  
"I have a favour to ask from you. Yahiko-chan will be back soon. He has become a lonely boy, wandering in search of his answers. Maybe, you may be able to provide him with the answers. This is his home after all. Here, he will be our son."  
  
Our son? Our very own son?  
  
Yahiko-chan will be our pride. I glowed with happiness and readily agreed.  
  
"I'll teach him as much as I can. You'll be proud of him. Our son.."  
  
With a ripple in the water, her reflection disappeared just like in the form of her appearance.  
  
Time makes all memories beautiful.  
  
"Anata..I love you."  
  
The wind brought her whisper to my ears.  
  
I love you too..anata.. and our son, Yahiko-chan. Zutto..Zutto... 


	2. Life Goes on

Chapter 2:~ Life Goes On  
  
On that sorrowful year my wife died, I fell into a deep depression. My second love died because of me. I had no care for my life but God had to take the lives of the people I loved so dearly. He knows my weakness and that is my incompatibility to protect my beloved. You can say that I'm cursed or either God just want to torture me. It doesn't matter anyway. What's done is undone and I deserved it. I knew failure was not an option. I can only put the blame on no one but myself.  
  
It was late afternoon, the neighborhood was quiet and it was peaceful. The leaves rustled along with the breeze and the big tree provided much shade and soon I found myself asleep under one of the trees. It was a lazy afternoon.  
  
Soon after, my sharp hearing picked up footsteps proceeding towards the gate. I woke up and looked towards the gate. IKaoru? Yahiko?/I Half of me was expecting Kaoru and the other half expecting Yahiko.  
  
"Kenshin-san!"  
  
A mature adult voice called out my name. It must be Yahiko. I got up and walked to the gate. There a different young adult in rugged clothes stood in front of me. His cheekbones protruded; his childish features disappeared. He wore a look of weariness but he held firmly to his bokken. IAhh. My son./I  
  
"Yahiko?"  
  
My tone was questioning. Somehow I doubted he was Yahiko with his looks to kill and his dazzling smile, not a single bit of the child he looked before could be detected on his face.  
  
"Kenshin-san, tadaima. Kaoru-san doko iru no?"  
  
A weary smile flashed across his face. ISo he doesn't know about it./I He will learn of the painful truth.  
  
"Yahiko-san, you look weary. Take a rest and have a shower. We shall have a tea ceremony later. We have much to talk."  
  
He was really tired as he merely nodded and dragged himself to his room.  
  
**************************************************************************** ******* Looking refreshed, he kneeled opposite of me. I started the tea ceremony once in a while glancing up at Yahiko. He looked calm and collected. In my mind, I was thinking of how I was to tell him of the painful story. Both of them were as close as brothers and sisters. Though they were always quarreling or fighting with each other, they cared for each other and helped each other when it was needed. INow he's our son./I I handed the cup of tea to him. He took it with a smile and quietly sipped his tea. The tea ceremony was over. Now, I will have to tell.  
  
"Yahiko-san, have you noticed the tablet at the dojo?"  
  
"No, I haven't. May I ask who's is it."  
  
I sighed and closed my eyes.  
  
"It's my wife, Kaoru-dono."  
  
II'm sorry my son, I've failed to protect your mother.I/  
  
He stared at me, momentarily stunned and was speechless.  
  
"Why? How? It cannot be."  
  
He mananged to blurt out. After a moment of silence, he continued.  
  
"Oka-san? Impoosible! I just saw her a few days ago. It cannot be."  
  
He looked at me questioningly.  
  
"It's the truth. A few days ago, was our wedding anniversary adn her death anniversary. On that day, she told me that you would return and we would adopt you as our son. This has always been her wish and I agreed to her suggestion. She must have returned in her ghostly gorm when she came to you for she is dead for over a year already."  
  
His eyes focused on his cup of tea that was on the mat. He seemed to be drowned in his own thoughts.  
  
II can only offer you an apology to you. I'm sorry, my son. Much as it hurts.I/  
  
"Just when I return, you tell me a truth so painful- my new-found mother's death. This has to happened when I was away. I didn't even see her body. I feel as if a stranger was the one dead and not my mother. I'm not able to feel the sadness of my mother's death. I came back to only find my mother gone, never to return."  
  
As he said this, his eyes were looking down all the while.  
  
"As for why and how, please tell me another day. For now, I need to rest. Tomorrow morning, we shall visit oka-san's grave. I wish to pay my respects to her."  
  
His hazel brown eyes were cloudy, troubled, filled with doubt. Looking at the state he's in, filled my being with pain. The painfulness of guilt and disappointment. It saddens me very much. I closed my eyes and replied a yes. Then I heard the door shut softly behind.  
  
IIt's hurtful for me to tell you the truth adn for you to hear it. But you have to accept it just like I did. I've learned that life goes on.I/ 


End file.
